Taekwondo coach held for molesting minor player

A 35-year-old taekwondo coach has been arrested here for allegedly molesting a minor player, police said Tuesday.

The incident allegedly took place on October 18 at a hotel in Pune where the coach and the 15-year old girl had been staying to attend a tournament, Kotwali police station in-charge Atul Singh said.

The accused, Manoj Shivhare, who was a national player and runs a taekwondo coaching institute here, had taken his team to Pune in Maharashtra to participate in a tournament, he said quoting the complaint filed by the girl's mother.

The victim was also a part of this team which won a gold medal at the tournament, he said.

During their stay at the hotel, Shivhare came to the girl's room and allegedly molested her. The girl, however, raised an alarm following which he fled, Singh said.

On reaching Morena, the victim's mother registered a complaint with the Kotwali police, he said.

Based on the complaint, Shivhare was arrested Monday night, he said.

The accused has been booked under relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said, adding that the case is under investigation.